Avarekalu Uppit

Servings 4

2 cups Avarekalu fresh or frozen beans sold as Surti Papdi Lilva in Indian stores (225g)
2.5 cups Water
1/2 tsp Salt (4g)

2 tbs Vegetable or Canola oil
1/2 tsp Black mustard seeds
1.5 tsp Urad dal
1.5 cup Roasted upma mix or medium coarse rava (300 g)
10 Curry leaves
2 tbsp Cilantro chopped
1.5 tbsp Fresh grated coconut either grated fresh, or frozen
2 - 3 Dried red chilis torn into 1/2 inch long pieces. Preferably Byadagi variety.
1.5 tsp Salt, to taste 10 g to taste
4.5 cups Water
1 tbsp Ghee optional

Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a small saucepan.
Add the avarekalu and 1/2 tsp of salt to the water.
Cook on medium low heat until the beans are cooked through. If any grey scum collects in the water from the beans, just spoon it off and discard. The beans will take about 5-6 minutes to cook. Test by biting into a bean. It should be cooked, but since these beans have a thick outer skin, they will not get completely soft. This is what you want.
Strain the beans using a colander and set aside.

While the beans are cooking, bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a separate saucepan or in a kettle.
Gather all the ingredients for the uppit.
Heat the oil in a bigger saucepan and add the mustard seeds. It’s ok to add the seeds when the oil is heating up. Cover the saucepan and wait for the seeds to pop.
When the popping stops, lower the heat and add the urad dal, red chilis, and curry leaves. Stir for a minute until the urad dal turns golden brown.
Add the roasted upma mix or rava and stir to combine. If using roasted upma mix, you only need to stir for a couple minutes until the rava is heated through. If you are using unroasted rava, then stir the rava and vaggarnae mix for a little longer until the rava becomes fragrant.
Add the salt and cooked avarekalu and stir once.
Add the 4 cups of boiling water to the rava mix now. The uppit will bubble up aggressively for a few secionds if your pan is really hot. Stir the mixture until everything is evenly combined.
Cook the uppit while stirring for another 2-3 minutes until the water is absorbed and the rava becomes soft. If the uppit seems to be too dry before the rava is fully cooked, add a half cup of water and stir some more. You will have to use your judgment based on how soft you want your uppit.
Taste and adjust the salt at this stage.
Turn the heat off, and add the ghee. Stir to combine and cover the saucepan and let the uppit rest for at least 5 minutes.
Garnish with chopped cilantro and fresh grated coconut and serve hot.